I tend to be a music ambiguity. Growing up in Cleveland OH for much of my younger life I rooted rock and roll genes in me that you will often hear flowing out of my shop. At the same, time jazz is ingrained in my soul growing up around my parents. My dad even had a Dixieland band called Conde's Cops.. But when Im here in the hills or on a stream fishing Bluegrass is the music I appreciate most.

 

The way I was introduced to this was sitting around in the back of an old grocery in rest haven SC with a friend who grew up in that area and listening to a bunch of amazing folks who came together to just play. The skill and ability always blew me away. Over the years fishing in that area we even watched one lad who could first barely get up on the stool with his banjo build his skills and become a man over time where he would come back from college and join the group. It was all about family... and that's the main point for this posting.. I want to introduce you to a really fun family in TN.

 

Meet Daniel and Sandy. https://www.facebook.com/DanielSandy-Norton-133162140833527/ 

 

Now Facebook can be an abomination at times but it also allows me to meet really cool people. Daniel and Sandy host a Bluegrass music video stream out of their home in TN and the whole family gets in on it. What strikes me is how skilled these folks are and how much fun it is to just join them (virtually of course) and listen to their songs.

 

So take sometime and catch some of their prerecorded videos or jump into their living room for a live stream one of these evenings. Catch some of those videos here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DanielSandy-Norton-133162140833527/videos/?ref=page_internal

 

mark

 

Well, not MY backyard, but my friends' backyard.  Right outside their dining room window!!!!  

 

This Barred owl has been coming to their backyard for years.  We assume it's the same one... 

 

Anyway, it is perched on the hook that holds several bird feeders.  I'm betting that THAT'S his intention:  bird feeding.  Whatever his intent, we're so happy he held still long enough to have his picture taken.

 

LOVE THE BIRDS!!!

Murphy is lucky to be growing its music artist population. Nothing makes a town more friendly and fun to be around than a local artist gathering us with great music flowing. I met a new one that you should go check out.

His name is Dan Profitt.

 

You can learn more about Dan and where to find him here: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.profitt1

and here: http://Www.reverbnation.com/DanProfitt

 

He has a relaxed country and pop style that is easy to listen to and sing along with him. Dan lives close to Five forks just over  129 and he has gathered his neighbors for great evenings just hanging and singing together.

 

To find where he is playing in the area check his facebook site. I think he is at Chevelles next Thursday eve ( 4/12) around 8:30.

 

I wonder how much music talent is hidden away in our neighborhood??

 

mark

 

Yep!  It's that time of year:  time to open the windows and get some fresh air!!!  It's also time to sweep out winter, literally!!!  It has gone on long enough!!

 

I subscribe to the Farmer's Almanac, and got this email with some great NATURAL cleaners and ideas.  Some we already know, but there are some new ones too.

 

Go to     Spring cleaning tips   for some fresh ideas, and get busy!!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

On a brighter note:  you KNOW spring is here when the ferns start sending up new fiddleheads.  I saw these all along the hiking trail.  Hundreds of them!

 

Take a little walk soon and venture down the trail a bit and you'll see lots of beautiful spring sights:  violets and chickweed blooming, and ferns doing their spring thing!!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

I walked to the mailbox on Tuesday;  what a gorgeous spring day to be outside!!!!  I carried my backpack with me, and fortunately I had a couple trash bags in there.  I collected two bags full of trash just going down the road and up the hiking trail.

 

Bending over to pick up trash is easy enough, but carrying it all the way home is a drag.  One of them had ANTS!!!

 

I doubt it's being thrown out OUR car windows, but it is unsightly on our roadways.  Please be sure to secure your trashbags on the way to the dump, so as not to add to the problem.   

 

;\\   I bet this isn't how Pepsi and Coke want to advertise their products.  ;\\

 

 

THAT'S MY RANT FOR TODAY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another good one!!!

 

Sandy Bradley bought this printed panel, and turned it into a quilted playground.

 

She added borders all the way around;  John Deere and Caterpillar actually have licensed fabric!!!  The prints are great: Trucks, tractors, gravel, roads, etc.  Then she sandwiched lightweight batting and tractor print backing.  Then she machine quilted it by following the road lines on the front.  

 

This picture is two of her grandbuddies playing together on it.  They each have one of their own that they play with, and when they come to stay with Grammy, they have a new and improved one to play with.  They love it, and will play together for hours, well, 20 minutes, but that's really good for 2 and 3 year olds!!!

 

GOOD JOB, SANDY!!!  Thanks for sharing.

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!

 

Last week I put out a call for pictures of winter projects.  I've gotten a few.  These are great!!!  I showed you one of  Mark and Karen's projects:  Crazybrook Farm sign.  Let's keep going!!!!!

 

Here is sister Linda's first try at quilting.  WOW!!! 

 

This is called a jelly roll race.  All the short ends of the strips are sewn together to make one extra long strip, then the long sides are sewn together, creating a beautiful mix up of the different fabrics.  That's the quilt top, the exciting, FUN part of quilt making.  Then comes the work part...

 

She had to choose backing fabric.  Some people buy extra wide fabric for the back, but it's not always the print you want....  So she bought the matching striped fabric and carefully pieced the back so you can't even tell it's pieced!! The top then gets basted together with batting and the backing.  Then the binding gets sewn on all the way around the "sandwiched" pieces.  Some people quilt first, then add the binding.  But it works either way, and our motto is:  The right way to do it is THE WAY THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

 

Then!!!  Comes the quilting.  This one is hand quilted.  She stitched in the ditch between the rows.  Hours and hours of stitching.  This is the comforting part, especially for a Winter project.  You snuggle under this beautiful thing you've created and sew tiny stitches in long rows or patterns and admire your hard work.  GOOD JOB, LINDA!!!!!

 

You would think that looking at it would be the end of the project, but it's not.  YOU HAVE TO START A NEW ONE!!!!

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

 

First that one, now this one!!!!!  Aren't they beautiful?  They do this year after year. 

 

What a lovely gift from a dear friend.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

This is a carrot grown by Sandy and Mickey Bradley.  Florida garden, raised bed, very fluffy soil.  Not everybody can grow carrots like THIS....but....I thought you'd like to see it.

 

OK....back to NC.... If you love carrots, radishes, turnips, beets...it's time to plant seeds in the garden.  It's a little early for potatoes, but while you're out there and enjoying the beautiful weather, just do it!!!   My calendar shows April 1, 2, and 3 as good planting days for root crops and perennials. 

 

What perennials don't mind the cold....oh, wait!!  Perennials live year after year; they have their own ways of dealing with the seasons.  So now might be a good time to plant Hostas, azaleas, rhodies, ferns, clematis, echinacea, Shasta daisy, peony, phlox.  Check out the garden center in your area.  If they are selling them now, it's time to plant.  

 

Not annuals, though, not yet.  The garden center probably has some for sale, but we still have cold nights ahead.  You CAN plant geraniums and marigolds now, but you will most likely have to REPLANT after they freeze to death.  So let's wait on the annuals.  And start with root crops and perennials.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!